It Takes Two Baby!

They met in 

Kuala Lumpur

about eight years ago.

Their careers brought them to the exotic 

Far East

&

after a whirlwind romance,

spanning several continents,

got married on the 

Gold Coast

in

Australia.

The wedding celebration

was a 

blast of fun.

Love is beautiful.

Our friendship began when

one part of this equation

walked

into our store one day.

In a way, shopping does bring people together,

and as they say...the rest is history.

Over the years

&

 crossing many time zones,

our friendship stayed intact.

Nowadays,

with this app & that app,

you're only a button away

to staying connected.

Having recently purchased

an apartment on the 

Upper West Side

of 

Manhattan,

my friends were thrilled to have me 

check out their new place.

You know the neighborhood has

potential when

that trendy organic food emporium,

WholeFoods

opens a branch there.

It was early evening as I exited from

the subway station,

to be greeted by a blast of warm humid air.

The locals were all out & about,

busy with whatever they had planned.

Even at this hour, there was a

 buzz around.

I was on the other hand, 

invited to a dinner party with

old friends.

August

 in 

New York 

can be like

Kuala Lumpur 

all year long.

Warm.

" All human beings have three lives:

public, private and secret."

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This was a grand building by

New York

standards.

Security door and a well appointed foyer

gave an impression of

comfort & safety.

After having lived in two other locations,

the couple was veritably happy to have

found this exceptionally 

spacious residence.

Walls the colour of

 warm burgundy

& 

a powder room conceived in 

black & white

Manuel Canovas 

wall paper

gave it a touch of grown-up elegance.

Art

hung everywhere,

while 

objets d'art

collected from all their travels,

decorated

the space like an

 encyclopedia of travel.

And beyond the windows,

the bright sparkling lights of

Manhattan

were coming on.

Twinkling

like in some 

Woody Allen 

movie.

Here's 

Maria Herminia Graterol

&

Peter Ikladious.

Two parts of an equation

that makes up a whole.

He's Australian

&

 she hails from

Venezuela.

I was delighted to be part of this

sophisticated group of

young and in-the-know

New Yorkers.

After all,

a visit to any city is like icing.

As a tourist,you're only tasting the top bits.

Getting into the homes

 &

 private sanctuary

of the locals,

gives the visit a 

stronger impression.

A 

lasting memory

that qualifies beyond

"special".

Besides...I don't fancy icing!

While waiting for a 

custom-order sofa 

& 

other bits & pieces that would make this

apartment

go from

"High to Haute"

 to arrive,

Peter & Maria

decided to forgo the wait

&

 host this evening

while I was in town.

The smell of delicious food floated in the air

as I made way into their private space.

Soft latin music

made you sway

while sparkling bubbles

made one

"shine" 

with content.

Life was good indeed.

Hugs and kisses aside,

we embraced each others presence

with a geniality that 

goes past casual.

The evening was going to be a true

New York 

moment.

A perfect setting in a

 fantastic

city that radiates energy!

" ...because no matter who you are, 
if you believe in yourself and your dream,
New York
will always be the place for you."

Michael Bloomberg

Their lovely

twin girls

was in the care of the babysitter

while the

trendy parents

hosted the guest 

with

 grace & warmth.

We had cocktails on the roof top.

Twilight engulfed us

as ships sailed by on the

Hudson River.

Skyscrapers shined and glowed.

Up here,

above the canyons of 

Manhattan

urban-sounds bounced off the tall buildings,

further enhancing the

Gotham

experience.

Flawless is only a minute away!

Maria's pulling power is of course her

jovial personality

&

 her infectious laughter.

Not taking oneself too seriously may be a

 good approach to life.

This is in tandem to Peter's

acute sense of 

observation

&

 humour.

Formal is not in their vocabulary.

Living is!

Favourite colour?
Maria: Between Red & Purple.
Peter: Blue.

Your hobby?

Maria: Shopping.

Peter: Photography.

Jean, skirt or shirt?

Maria: Jeans

Peter: Shirt

Which trait in a person you most deplore?

Maria: Despotic

Peter: Arrogance

Favourite cuisine?

Maria: Thai.

Peter: Any type of fusion food.

Which book are you reading now?

Maria: My friend, Vaddey Ratner's book...

"In The Shadow Of The Banyan".

Peter: Same book.

Describe your style?
Maria: More, More & More!
Peter: Oh shit...!

What puts a smile on your face?
Maria: Beautiful things..
Peter:  My girls.

Favourite city?

Maria: New York.

Peter: Oh...?

What do you admire in a person?

Maria: Loyalty.

Peter: Intellectual curiosity.

If I say sit...?

Maria: Where?

Peter: Ok!

What makes

you happy?

Maria: My family.

Peter: Many things...my family & being successful at

work.

Favourite TV show?

Maria: Ab Fab.

Peter: I wish I watched TV!

What motivates you?

Maria: Hope.

Peter:Change

Cotton or linen?

Maria:Cotton.

Peter: Cotton.

What were your first thoughts this morning?

Maria: Who will feed the girls.

Peter: One more day in the weekend.

Finish this sentence-"I am so lost..."
Maria: "...in new cities."
Peter: "...around new people."

Greatest achievement?

Maria: Growing up.

Peter: Surviving New York.

What's next?
Maria: Travel & career change.
Peter: Change.

Night & day 

is all rolled into one in a city like

New York.

The inhabitants live for the 

moment,today

&

 now.

When the light dims

&

dawn breaks,

you simply breathe a different personae.

After all, why think about tomorrow

when the present has

 so much to offer.

When asked how the move to 

this city has changed them,

Maria venture,

"...it was something that

I had wanted, coming full circle to a new phase."

As for Peter 

"...it educated me on Americans & their way

of life."

Wine paved the way for easy talking...

and the dinner party was in full swing.

Bossa nova tunes added to the already

exotic atmosphere.

The conversation revolved around

 the issues of the day.

The other guests were all charming and armed full with

"New York" stories.

You get the feeling that the city offers

unlimited experiences...if only you

open yourself to it.

I felt privileged to be part of this exclusive group,

 having set one foot into the

inner

sanctum of this metropolis.

As for our hosts,

they appeared at ease,

mingling about ensuring all was

adequate & comfortable.

The meal was 

a delightful spread of
Latin American

cuisine.

I sat there taking in the scene before me.

We were all from different

 cultures & backgrounds

&

 the only common ground

was our ability 

to converse.

The moment was all about connection!

The biggest daily challenge for the couple

appears to be for Maria "...trying to balance career & family"

and for Peter

"...to have more time."

A visit to any city

is only a visit

 unless you have friends living there. 

This elevates the experience.

Allowing & opening up oneself

to new adventures can

bring on surprising outcomes.

Unscripted holidays are best,

especially if you embrace spontaneity.

Our evening was a marvellous 

exchange of stimulating chatter

&

good food

set in a elegant apartment.

Maria & Peter's

affable entertaining skills

 are

 indeed enchanting.

The different shades of their personalities

radiates warmth to the utmost degree.

Laws of attraction

are 

strangely incredible.

Once the wheels are set in motion,

the momentum never ceases.

Such is the 

case for friendship.

You always pick up where you left off.

The iconic yellow
New York

cab was waiting for my departure.

My date with this group has come to an end.

There will be a next time...for sure.

But for now, 

the cab whisked me away into

the darkness of this

singular sensation

 called

New York!

Thanks Peter & Maria...

you had me at hello!

" El que busca la verdad corre

el riesgo de encontrada."

Who searches for truth runs the risk of

finding it.

Isabel Allende